Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism is developing a national framework for sustainable development to ensure that the country’s long-term aspirations are enduring and can withstand unforeseen shocks.

Speaking at the commemoration of the International Museum day in Gaborone on May 19, permanent secretary in the ministry, Mr Elias Magosi said government had to put in place environmental policies and legislation to address the issue of sustainable development, some of which were driven by his ministry.

Mr Magosi said the transition towards a sustainable society required new methods of doing things and that it was becoming more urgent to move towards a society that was less wasteful and less polluting, but more knowledgeable, cooperative and using resources in a way that appreciated and respected the living systems.

“At the forefront of sustainable development are three factors society, environment and the economy. However the environment is core because it enables the existence and sustenance of everything else,” he said.

Furthermore, he noted that Botswana as part of the global world, the country needed to change and adapt to the economic and social model as a society.

In 2013, he said, the ministry hosted the summit for sustainability in Africa, whose objective was to build a consensus around the significance of natural capital in socio-economic development.

He noted that teachers were the important stakeholders as they were responsible for moulding the right attitude, behaviours and practices favourable to sustainable development among young people.

“We know for a fact that schools were at the forefront of recycling cans, therefore school children viewed cans as a waste and also as a resource for recycling and generating waste, which is a testimony of the seed planted by our esteemed teaching fraternity,” he said.

In his welcome remarks, the deputy director of the National Museum and Monuments, Mr Stephen Mogotsi, said the day highlighted the role of the museums in raising public awareness about the need for society to use resources in a less wasteful manner.

“The most challenging aspect of the museum work was processing, preserving and conserving the multi-faceted collections,” he said.

Mr Mogotsi said the role of museum was to safeguard its collection as well as its environment for the society in which it functions.

He said that environmental sustainability was a difficult task as it involved making decisions and taking actions that are in the interest of protecting the natural world and as such could only be achieved through collaboration with the relevant stakeholders and public. The day was held under the theme, ‘Museums for a sustainable society.’